At a recent careers presentation, an audience memberasked what a letter of intent was. ‘Let me get back toyou’ was my response. I have heard letter of intentsfor high school athletes attending colleges and universitiesand for specific instructions for my legal affairs affectingminor children, and letters of resignation.

So, this is what I have discovered:

Definition: A letter of intent, when referenced in a
job posting, is equivalent to a cover letter. Your letter of intent explains the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identifies your most relevantskills or experiences. There are other forms of lettersof intent, however.

basketball
recruitsThe letter of intent formally ends the recruiting process and connects players with teams. But “critics say the LOI is a one-way deal that onlybenefits schools; coaches are free to come and go, but a student that changes his mind for any reasonmust be formally released from his commitment.

Estate
PlanningA letter of intent is a document ‘that will act as a guideline for the caretakers of your child withspecial needs after your death.’ This letter includescontact information for doctors, teachers and otherprofessionals. It can contain the likes and dislikes of your child as well as any other information that you believe is important for the caretakers to knowabout their child. This letter should be updatedon an annual basis and kept with important documents.”

to
ResignA letter of intent to resign informs your employerthat you are resigning. It can either be formal letterof intent to resign, tpyed, printed and signed, or sent via email. Note that it is important to let your employer know when your last day of employmentwill be.

If it is an email, it is best to include a specific subject line so your message can be ready in a timely manner.

When you are sending a formal letter of intent to resign, here’s the format
to use:
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Date

Date

Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

I am writing to announce my resignation from Company Name, effective January 15.

This was not an easy decision for me to make. The past five years have
been very rewarding. I’ve enjoyed working for you and working on a very
successful team dedicated to providing top level customer service.

Thank you for the opportunities that you have provided me during my tenure with the company.

I wish you and the company the very best and hope we can keep in touch in the future.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Typed Name

One Response to “‘Letter of Intent’ Query. Cover letter equivalent by a different name”

Interesting related item is “letter of interest” which to me seems like a cold call letter.Allison Doyle has written about suggestions how to compose an inquiry letter or one prospecting where you wish to work however has not advertized an opening.

She offers they can be emailed or sent via hard-copy.

She recommends: - explore who you know works there or is a consultant there or who is on the BOD there - seek an informational interview - if you know people there and they know you a referral to hiring authorities will be influential - explicitly state 2-4 assets and how you have demonstrated them in helpful ways - date the letter, sign the letter, send it to a specific person